


My Dove

by orphan_account



Series: Marvel [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky is an attention whore, I have no self control, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Peter is adorable, Steve is also an attention whore, Steve is cabbage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 18:52:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18058094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Bucky tries to find a nickname for Steve + they try to be more popular than Bruce and Thor





	My Dove

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on a whim in exactly 15 minutes so forgive me

It was nothing huge at first. 

 

Every so often Bucky would simply let a “babe” or “sweetie” or “doll” slip past his lips, and Steve was content with the rare use of endearments.

 

Then Thor and Bruce revealed to the public that they were dating, and suddenly Steve and Bucky weren't the most popular (in both negative and positive cases) couple anymore. 

 

The century long romance of two super soldiers was overshadowed by the sweet romance of an alien/god and a scientist who sometimes turned into a giant green rage monster. 

 

“You have no right to complain. I get no publicity anymore! Pictures of either of you guys so much as being in the same room would probably get more news time than if my nudes got leaked.” Tony said this as if he had thought very long about it.

 

“That's because no one would want to see you naked,” Natasha said from across the room, where she was entertaining herself by trying to cut grapes in half in midair. 

 

Tony made a noise of utmost bafflement, “Everyone wants to see me naked!”

 

Thor shook his head, “I'm sorry to inform you, but I have no desire to ever see you nude.”

 

“That doesn't count,” Tony said, grumbling as he left the room.

 

After that, Bucky decided that he's going to start a war with Bruce and Thor.

 

===

 

At first it's subtle.

 

When Bruce held Thor's hand, Bucky would kiss Steve's cheek. When Bruce asked Thor for help, Bucky would pay extra attention so he could anticipate what Steve would need.

 

During a small event where the Avengers autographed (almost) anything they were asked to, a girl asked Bruce to sign a test she got an F on so she'd remember to do better. 

 

Bruce's pen had run out of ink, so he borrowed Thor's. That in itself was not an issue. 

 

But Thor accompanied it with, “Here you are, beloved.” 

 

It was the top trending news article an hour later, because someone had recorded the moment.

 

===

 

Bucky ended up with a list. He made sure Steve never saw it.

 

It was a small sheet of lined white paper, where he wrote down any sort of nickname he thought of. 

 

===

 

He took to using them in public, rather than in private. 

 

“Stevie, sweetheart, stop being so vague,” Bucky once said during an interview. About a third of the room audibly cooed at the word. 

 

Steve turned pink and frowned, “It was a vague question.”

 

He threw off one of the weekly public enemies by calling out, “Hey babe, throw your shield.”

 

Public enemy of the week had blinked in confusion, then gotten knocked out by a red, white, and blue shield. 

 

===

 

At another autograph event, he casually leaned against Steve, “So sugar, got any plans tonight?”

 

The teenage girl in front of Steve squeaked, because  _ two of the Avengers were flirting in front of her. _

 

Steve, still without any understanding of Bucky's sudden use endearments, simply said, “Yeah, you.”

 

There was no way it could've been mistaken as a question.

 

===

 

Peter sat on the ceiling, because an extra little shit, while talking to Steve and Bucky about history “because it's more interesting when you talk about, my teacher is boring.”

 

Bucky hadn't intended to say it, but, “Hey honey, do you remember when the first war propaganda showed up?” is what he said. 

 

“Aw, you guys are so cute.” Peter grinned at Bucky's glare.

 

===

 

“God you two are getting worse the dorks over there,” Tony gestured vaguely towards where Thor and Bruce were whispering to each other.

 

“We're like twenty times better than them,” Bucky said.

 

Steve put a hand on his shoulder, “That's rude.”

 

“You're rude.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

“See? That's exactly what I mean.” Tony said, throwing his hands in the air. 

 

“What do you think, cabbage, do you know what he means?”

 

Steve scrunched up his nose, “I don't like that one.”

 

===

 

Natasha, after finding out about Bucky's secret war and the list, took to deciding which names ye should and shouldn't use.

 

“No, not blue eyes, that's awful. Plus, you both have blue eyes.” 

 

Bucky frowned, “Okay, I'll take your word.”

 

“You better. Though, something color oriented could work. Ocean eyes, maybe?” 

 

“That's a bit too poetic for me.”

 

“That means it's perfect.”

 

===

 

It's at an interview Steve didn't attend that Bucky referred to him as “ocean eyes.”

 

The person asking him a question looked annoyed, “Mr. Barnes, could you please be more professional?”

 

At this, Bucky laughed, “Professional? I help save the world, a nickname isn't hurting anyone.”

 

“It makes some people uncomfortable.”

 

Bucky nodded in understanding, “I see, so you're an asshole. Sorry everyone, looks like being gay is unprofessional, time to quit.”

 

He was quite calm when he left the room, though his metal arm ached to cause the destruction of that man's face. 

 

===

 

Apparently, it made headlines by the time Bucky had reached the room the room he shared with Steve.

 

“Care to explain why you ‘quit the Avengers?’” 

 

Bucky glanced at the article pulled up on Steve's phone, “He was being  _ rude _ .”

 

Steve sighed, but a smile fluttered across his lips, “Yeah, I know. Maybe don't quit the Avengers though.”

 

“Whatever you say, beautiful.”

 

“Yeah, not that one.”

 

===

 

Steve didn't like handsome, or charming, or hottie, or lover, or doll, or dear or darling. 

 

“Uh, I have a question for Bucky,” a girl with a purple highlight in her hair said, her eyes flicking across various floorboards. 

 

“I never get questions,” Clint murmured, having a sword fight with Natasha.

 

Not an actual sword fight. They both had tiny, plastic sword about three inches long that they were clashing together rather violently. 

 

“Do you ever plan on, well, marrying Captain Rogers?” 

 

Bucky did his best to act nonchalant, “I've considered it. I mean, he's my main squeeze and all-”

 

“I'm going to stop him there, because I'm not sure even I want to hear the rest.” Steve said, hand covering Bucky's mouth.

 

Tony leaned closer, “I'm interested.”

 

===

 

“Mr. Banner, what's the square root of twenty one?” Peter asked, looking over at the man, who was lounging in Thor's arms. 

 

He frowned, “I'm a scientist. Not a calculator.”

 

“Yeah, but what's the square root of twenty one?”

 

Bruce sighed, “Four point five eight two five seven five six nine five.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Don't mention it.”

 

===

 

“C'mon muffin,” Bucky pulled Steve (not very) subtly toward a cafe.

 

“Okay, it's getting ridiculous. What's with the nicknames?”

 

“Thor and Bruce are more popular than us.”

 

Steve blinked, “Oh. Well, time to crush them.”

 

They grin and laugh, scheming while they get coffee.

 

===

 

Bucky didn't let up on the nicknames. He tried cookie, cupcake, pancake (which Nat strongly disliked), vanilla, golden boy, tasty (which made Tony gag), and blueberry. 

 

“No more food names,” Steve eventually said, relieving the team of the torture that was innuendos involving eating.

 

“Fine, angel.”

 

Steve paused, then shook his head, “I don't like that one.”

 

===

 

Natasha offered a few suggestions. Steve usually disliked them.

 

“Really, little dove, you should've been there!” Bucky grinned, recalling the events of earlier.

 

He'd visited Peter's school and was gleefully telling Steve about all the kids that had smiled at him. Whenever someone smiled, it always made him happy, reminded him that they don't fear him anymore. 

 

Steve hummed, “I like that one. Not the ‘little’ part, but it's nice.”

 

Bucky made sure to tell Natasha that Steve like that one, since she'd suggested it.

 

===

 

Because Steve and Bucky are extra (they got it from Peter), they perfectly time their plan to outshine Thor and Bruce. 

 

They're at an interview, one of the biggest in a while. They paid the girl with the purple highlight to ask a question, telling her it was important. She refused the money and agreed to help. 

 

“Can you all dance?” 

 

The Avengers all stand, moving in various disastrous ways that  _ might  _ pass as dancing. 

 

Bucky “dropped” something small and box shaped.

 

He dropped to one knee to pick it up.

 

He held it up, opening it. 

 

Despite already having known about it for weeks, both of them grin like it's a surprise. 

 

“Will you marry me?” 

 

Steve practically yanked Bucky off the floor, pulling him into a kiss that might be a bit too heated for public eyes. 

 

They make headlines for the next month.

 

===

 

When they accidentally let slip that they were trying to outshine Thor and Bruce, the Asgardian laughed.

 

“You mean to tell me that you got married for the popularity?” Tony asked.

 

“I mean, that was just a bonus.” Steve shrugged. 

 

“And we got engaged, we aren't married yet.”

 

“Do you think people will charge extra to cater to the Avengers?”

 

“I swear, you two will be the death of me,” Peter gushed, “I get to the kid who skips down the alleyway and tosses rose petals, right?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Do you think superheroes pay more for catering?


End file.
